Picking the right glass to chip off a sample. (Photo by Mark Kurz, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)

Final inspection of samples before bagging and storing. (Photo by Mark Kurz, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)

From collection to processed sample, deep sea rocks go through quite a lot. Because these samples are difficult to obtain, we take utmost care to make sure they remain as pristine as possible. Furthermore, we can’t go back down to get another piece of the same rock, so our team follows a series of checks to ensure that the same label follows the sample everywhere it goes. You could say these samples get the “Rock Star” treatment.

A full-size cup decorated with Sentry and Alvin, shown with some seafloor rock samples. (Photo by Harry Brodsky)

Eric Mittelstaedt holds a shrunken and normal-sized Styrofoam head, because cups aren’t the only thing that we shrink. (Photo by Harry Brodsky)

My first cup shrank from a height of 9.5cm to just under 4cm. (Photo by Harry Brodsky)

A sampling of just a few of the cups we’ve made this expedition. (Photo by Harry Brodsky)

As Alvin and its three passengers sink toward the seafloor, a tiny cargo sits tucked away, out of sight. It’s a laundry bag, the kind made from cotton mesh, with a dozen or so Styrofoam cups stowed safely inside. Read More→

Being doused in ice water upon completing your first Alvin dive is a highly anticipated ritual. Photos by Danny King

An opportunity to dive in the human-occupied vehicle (HOV) Alvin is as exciting as it is rare. At the start of this cruise, there have only been 4,941 dives in the 50-plus-year history of the sub’s existence.

According to Adam Soule, co-principal investigator on this expedition, roughly 3,000 scientists have dived in Alvin (many scientists have dived multiple times). In comparison, 533 people have reached earth’s orbit, ~4,000 people have climbed Mt. Everest, and 12,244 people have served in the U.S. Congress. It is an opportunity many scientists jump at, and one that many of the scientists on board the Popping Rocks cruise will get to experience.

The number-one question I receive when talking about my research is how I felt during my first Alvin dive. Here, I’ll try to describe that experience.

The morning of your dive is a flurry of excitement and nerves as you try to force down a piece of toast, keeping in mind you’ll be submerged for the next nine hours. After eating, you go to the aft deck of the ship where Alvin is launched. There, you loiter outside the Alvin hanger, bouncing up and down in the swells and watching as the mechanics ensure that Alvin is ready to dive. Slowly, bleary-eyed scientists join you on the aft deck to wish you luck on the dive and to watch you climb down into the hatch. The flash of their cameras and sound of their cheers make you feel on top of the world as you prepare to dive underneath it.

I frequently hear from friends that they would never-ever-in-a-million-years dive to the ocean floor. Whether it’s because the experience is too cramped, too deep, too dark, or too spooky, I understand the hesitation. The only brief moment of hesitation I felt was in the first moment that Alvin was lifted off the deck and I was sitting inside. As the ocean’s waves splashed over Alvin’s portholes I felt a pang of panic. As soon as we regained a little bit of equilibrium, though, the panic subsided and the excitement returned. But that was it for me—one brief moment of feeling like a fish out of water, and I was ready to roll.

As we descended down into the depths, it surprised me how long the sunlight lingered and how calm the waters were just below the surface. The dim light lingered for a surprisingly long time (500 meters) and then the light show began. I pressed my forehead against the porthole, mouth agape, as thousands of bioluminescent creatures floated in front of me. They were forming interconnected networks, giving them the appearance of moving constellations. A lump formed in my throat as I considered how similar these microscopic creatures were to the vast expanse of the universe. It reminded me why I’m so drawn to geology and science in general; the large-scale patterns and features we see at a universal scale can be mirrored under a microscope.

We reached the ocean floor and explored for over 6 hours, traversing over large expanses of sediment and ascending steep cliffs of submarine lava flows called pillow basalt. It felt like only 30 minutes had passed when the pilot radioed up to the ship to alert them we were beginning our ascent. I’m glad the chief scientist thought to take a few pictures inside the sub because the day is a blur of sampling rocks and taking notes. You are surprisingly busy at the bottom of the ocean. Between controlling the exterior cameras, making observations, noting sample locations, and scouting out good outcrops- multitasking is a necessity. I was glad to have the occasional reminder to just look out my window and soak it in.

The age of exploratory science feels historic, but in reality is still essential for the advancement of our field. After all, it was only 40 years ago that Alvin found the first submarine hydrothermal vents on the seafloor. While we use Alvin as a tool to collect data, it is impossible to ignore the magic and awe of seeing the seafloor for the first time. Knowing that you are the first person to see this small corner of the Earth is an honor.

Swimmers Ryan Dahlberg and Drew Bewley talk with the Alvin pilot from outside the sub during recovery while Carl Wood, Amy Biddle, and Jim McGill stand by in the small boat. (photo by Kristin Fauria)

It has been almost two weeks since we left port in Bermuda. For me, it took about a week (the entire transit), to adjust to life at sea. Four days after being on the ship I would still wake up in the morning, get out bed, and fall over, caught off guard by the rocking motion.

Darin Schwartz and Josh Curtice set up to photograph the first rocks. (Photo by Manyu Belani, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)

We arrived at the first dive site at 8:40 in the morning and Alvin was in the water by 9:20. The six-day transit from Bermuda gave us plenty of time to plan the first dive, so everyone was ready to go and we were all relieved to get here and get started without wasting a moment.

One of Kantor’s favorite parts of working on a research vessel: meeting scientists like Adam Soule and Mark Kurz during the Popping Rocks cruise. (Photo by Mark Kurz, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)

Kantor on the deck of Atlantis. (Photo by Eric Mittelstaedt, University of Idaho)

In addition to her duties as a ship’s officer Maxine Kantor is also an Alvin swimmer, which requires her to manage the lines that lower the sub into the water and then ready it to dive to the seafloor. (Photo by Mark Kurz, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)

Let me set a scene. Perhaps an airplane might be best. You are sitting in your seat and your fellow row mate is surprisingly chatty. He or she wants to know where you’re going, where you’re from, and then the next question: “What do you do for a living?”

I am the least qualified person to write on behalf of the Popping Rocks team because I’m not on the ship and I’m not a part of the science team.

I was, however, on the expedition before theirs and I saw Atlantis off at the pier in Bermuda this morning. I will also be helping them run their blog from shore during the trip, so that gives me some reason to contribute. Read More→

We are excited to go to sea again, but it takes an enormous amount of time and effort to actually get ready. Atlantis returned to Woods Hole for a few days recently and we had a brief window to gather everything we’ll need and load it onto the ship before it sailed to Bermuda, where we will board.

When you take your first dive in Alvin, one thing is certain: no matter what you see or what you find, you’ll be welcomed back on Atlantis with a bucket (or two) of seawater that has been kept in the ship’s refrigerator just for your return. Even, as Mark Kurz discovered, if you’re the Chief Scientist. (Photos by Maris Wicks; click to enlarge)